Date: February 21, 2003
Grade Level: 1, 2, 3, 4
Subject(s):
Description: Students learn how to diagram sentences in a fun environment. The activity requires participation from each student, allowing even the normally quiet or shy students an opportunity to engage in active learning.
Goals:
Students will be able to identify parts of speech.
Objectives:
Procedure:
Overview:
Each student plays an active role in creating a sentence by becoming the parts of the sentence. When introducing sentence diagramming, start with three-part sentences such as, "The dog jumped." Explain that there are three parts to this sentence; the article "the", the noun (subject noun) "dog," and the verb "jumped." This example would call for three students to play the parts of the sentence. One student would be the article, one student the noun, and one student the verb. As children gain a greater understanding of sentence structure or diagramming, then they can choose their own words for the part they will play.
Instruction:
Always begin the game with an anticipatory activity. These will vary and are dependent upon the students' knowledge of sentence diagramming. If this is not a new skill, then start by doing a review of previously covered material. If it is new, then you can begin by writing a sentence on the chalkboard that uses simple sentence structure. Explain what each part of the sentence is, and then review this with the students to ensure they understand the basics of sentence structure. It is not necessary to instill proficiency prior to beginning; proficiency will be gained through playing the game.
After the anticipatory activity, inform students that they are going to play "The Sentence Game." Show them the cards with the various parts of a sentence. Explain to them that they will each be given the opportunity to become a part of the sentence. Draw 3-6 names (the number of students chosen will vary depending on the complexity of the sentence), and give each of the students whose names were drawn the card with their part of the sentence. Actively engage the remaining students by asking them to think of words to go along with each part. They can do this independently or as part of a group. As you hand each child their card, they are to also think of a word that goes with their part, i.e. the noun thinks of a person, place, or thing and so on. The first few times the game is played, line students up in the order the sentence will be formed, however, once they have done it a few times allow them to figure out the correct order of the parts they are playing. Have the students say the word they have chosen for the part they are playing. If unable to come up with a word, they can ask for help from the children who have not yet been picked to play a part. Once the words have been chosen and a sentence created, write their sentence on the chalkboard. Review the different parts of the sentence, engaging the children not yet picked to play a part. Once the children fully grasp the basic concepts, increase the level of difficulty by adding other parts of the sentence (adverb, adjective, and preposition). Begin again by choosing a new set of children to form the sentence.
Assessment: Give students a worksheet with several sentences to diagram. [Teachers need to create their own worksheets, based on the age of the children and their skill level. An example would be the following: The dog ran. This type of sentence would be age appropriate for beginning readers. A more complex sentence could be: The blue dog ran to the brown house, or The yellow snake slithered slowly in the tall, green grass.]
Special Comments: This is a really fun game that encourages learning through active participation, and the kids love it! I have used this lesson on varying ages and have found that it works for all levels of ability, from beginner to expert. The game should be played more than once, preferably once a week to be effective. Be sure to use the correct words for each part of the sentence; don't use "describing word" in place of adjective or "person, place, thing" in place of noun. The game is designed to teach students not only how to diagram but to understand the difference between a verb and an adverb, a noun and an adjective, etc. Even the youngest of school age children can play this game (I have even played it with kindergarteners), but it seems to be most effective with 1st – 4th graders. I have designed this plan to fit the needs of elementary age school children because I feel that they have the ability to utilize this skill far earlier than it is typically taught.